Drew Ackerman, also known as Scooter from the Sleep With Me Podcast, shares his struggles with insomnia and how he tried a science-backed practice to help ease his stress and get to sleep. As a child, he always found it difficult to fall asleep due to his anxious thoughts keeping his mind active at night. He experimented with listening to recordings of birdsong, which reminded him of peaceful summer afternoons and helped transport him to a calmer state of mind. Research shows that different sounds can have varying effects on our stress levels, with birdsong often triggering relaxation responses in the body.
Drew Ackerman is not only an insomniac but also hosts the popular Sleep With Me podcast. Despite his own history of sleep troubles, Drew has a talent for lulling others to sleep through his soothing voice and storytelling. To aid in his mission to help people fall asleep, he sought advice from experts such as Emil Stobbe at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Germany, Jesper Alvarsson at Södertörn University in Sweden, and Eleanor Ratcliffe at the University of Surrey in the UK. They all shared their insights on the effects of sounds on human behavior and well-being.
If you’re interested in similar episodes, you can check out “The Science of a Good Night’s Sleep” or “Why You Should Snap Pictures of Nature” for more insights on improving your well-being through different practices. Additionally, you can explore related Happiness Breaks like “Restore Through Silence” or “Feeling the Awe of Nature from Anywhere” to incorporate moments of relaxation and appreciation into your daily routine.
Feel free to share the sounds that relax you or record your own recordings to share with us! You can email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod to connect with our community. Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share the show with someone who might benefit from the content. Thank you for tuning in to The Science of Happiness!
